Sap
by Sapadu
Summary: Joey asks Mai out for a date. Revenge fic.
1. Default Chapter

Sap

By Sapadu

A/N: I did this completely to shake off the nasty feeling I had after watching this morning's episode of Yu-gi-oh!: Waking the Dragons. It was the episode where Yami played the seal of Oricalcous and Yugi got his soul sucked... so... I felt REALLY bad and needed to write something sweet and innocent to repair my poor, damaged innocence.

As I can't manage to beat a Yugi/Yami fic out of myself, or even a Yugi/Tea or Yami/Tea fic at this moment, (all the Tea-haters cheer) this will be Joey/Mai.

Joey Wheeler and Mai Valentine stared at each other, eyes hard and minds focused. Joey's Flame Swordsman was in defense mode and his Swordsman of Landstar was in attack mode, but against Mai's Cyber-shield enforced Harpy Ladies, he was in SAD shape.

At least they both were even with 2000 life points, each.

'ow did I get suckered into dis, anyway? Joey asked himself. He had just come to have a friendly talk with Mai, maybe ask her out for dinner, but a duel was NOT what he had had in mind.

"Ya know, Mai, I just came over ta ask ya a simple question." Joey mentioned. Mai smiled.

"Aw, don't take it personally, Joey! This is just for fun!" Mai insisted.

"Well... the simple question I had in mind wasn't just for fun. It was... kinda important." Joey lied, wanting to get this over with as soon as possible. Mai's face changed. Well, if the question was important, then THAT was a different story.

"Oh! Okay... I'll go easy on you then." Mai said, figuring that the only way they could end the duel quickly was if she let Joey win, because she had a feeling Joey would be too thick skulled for the thought of letting her win to ever get into his brain.

So, after letting Joey play a Graceful Dice, Skull Dice, and passing several chances to attack his monsters, Mai was quickly down to 0 life points and the two duelists folded up their duel disks, setting off for Domino Park for a walk and chat.

Mai, for her part, was in a good mood. Nothing bad had been happening lately, the day was sunny, the sky was blue, and all was well and good in Domino City.

Joey couldn't have been more different. He was on edge. For one thing, although people regarded him to be as dumb as most people thought blonds were, he WAS smart enough to know Mai had let him win on purpose because she thought he was so stupid he wouldn't think to let her win. And while he was on the subject of Mai letting him win, he WAS kind of insulted that she decided that she had to LET him win: He'd beaten her once before in Duelist Kingdom, so he didn't NEED her to go soft on him.

And while being beaten by Mai would've sapped any, if not all, the nerve he had had out of him, Mai just throwing the duel like that made Joey feel even more pathetic.

Man, if Kaiba could see me now, he'd say I'm like a puppy walking wit my tail between my legs! Joey thought to himself.

And he really WOULD be a dog running away with his tail between his legs if he backed out on this NOW!

They took a seat on a bench near the fountain.

"So, Joey, what was it you wanted to ask me?" Mai asked, tucking one of her knees up to make sure her boot was secure around her calve. Joey stuttered and started to mutter something into his hand. Either that, or he was coughing.

"Well... um... it's just... it's sort of... you know, like..." Joey stammered. Mai blinked at him.

"It's okay, Joey! I've got all day." She reassured him. Joey peeked up at her, shyly.

"Well... all day maybe... but are ya free tonight?" Joey blurted out, asking his question in the worst way possible.

"WHAT?" Mai asked, looking surprised.

"Ah, it's nothin', never mind..." Joey said, his eyes shifting.

"Joey, are you asking me OUT?" Mai demanded, leaning over and almost looking menacing. Joey started to stutter.

"Uh.... heh heh heh... um... no? Not exactly... it's just.... Iheardaboutdismovie'at'splayinginthetheaterand... well... I've got tickets, but Serenity didn't wanna go, and Yug's busy, and Tea's busy and Tristan was busy, too and so... Ithoughtmaybeyou'dwannagobutifyoudon'tit'sfinejust..." Joey wondered vaguely when he'd lost control of his vocal cords like that when Mai started to laugh.

"A movie sounds great Joey." Mai smiled. Joey's mouth dropped open.

"I'm sorry, I just HAD to see that look on your face." Mai continued, gasping for breath between laughs. Joey continued to look perplexed, until Mai leaned over, put her arms around Joey's neck, and gave him a big smooch on the cheek, leaving a mark of bright red lipstick on his face.

"So, I'll see you at eight." Mai continued to smile, standing up and walking away to get ready for the big night, leaving Joey on the bench with a big, stupid smile on his face.

* * *

"AND THEN, SHE KISSED ME, YUG! CAN YOU BELIEVE DAT? SO I'M GONNA TAKE HER TO THE MOVIE SOMETIME AROUND EIGHT TONIGHT AND I JUST HAD TA TELL YA! 'ELLO? YUG? YA THERE, BUD?" Joey's voice was loud, even through the receiver. 

"Joey, I'm happy for you and everything, but I'm REALLY tired right now and I need a nap." Yugi said, in a somewhat dead voice. Yami was already fast asleep inside the puzzle and would have agreed wholeheartedly.

"YUG! IT'S ONLY FIVE A CLOCK! WHY'RE YOU SO TIRED?" Joey sounded rather upset about not being able to finish his story.

"Tea and I spent the entire day at an amusement park and now I'm worn out. Talk to ya later, Joey." Yugi put down the phone and climbed the stairs to bed, falling asleep almost as soon as his form hit the bed.

I hope it works out for you, Joey... Yugi thought, drifting into the world of his dreams.

A/N: ALL WORSHIP ME, FOR I RULE! I am proud of myself for this. Yes... very proud. And in case you didn't get it when Joey didn't have any spaces between his words, he was talking really fast....

Just thought I'd mention it... this fic got removed from the first time because of that. If anyone sees things that I didn't catch or that I might not understand that would infract on fan fiction dot net's rules this time, tell me so I can take it down and revise.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

This is really just for the hell of it. Originally, I intended this to be a one-shot to make me feel better over something... but... this popped into my head.

By Sapadu

Mai sorted her cards rather idlely- she had nothing to do, so she just did it. She'd plugged her headphones into her CD player to drown out the noise of Joey snoring on her couch.

He was a dope. That's all there was to it. And Mai still didn't get how she could fall for a moron like him. Mai Valentine was proud, if nothing else. More proud of never being wrong than other things.

And she had been wrong about Joey- he was a dope, sure, but he had his own smarts, too. He was clever, could think on his feet, knew just what to say to pick someone up... if he'd only keep his mouth shut AFTERWARDS, he could be considered intelligent.

And Mai had always thought dueling was everything. Joey proved her wrong about that, too.

_Sometimes I'm right..._

_Sometimes I'm wrong..._

_But he doesn't care..._

_He'll string along..._

Oh well- at least Joey wasn't enough of a jerk to rub her nose in it.

Why not, anyway?

_He loves me so..._

_That funny honey of mine..._

And what Valon had told her about Joey before he disappeared- he was right. Joey had a heart. She was lucky to have a guy like that- most of the sensitive guys turned jaded after one bad experience, and then things got ugly.

She'd insulted him, put him down, and done everything trying to degrade Joey's self-esteem when they first met, and the way he always came back for more, claiming that he was going to prove to her about 'the power of friendship' or whatever, had almost made Mai think he was nuts, or at least masochist.

Hell, he'd even picked her up and made her feel better after her duel with Panik. She at least felt she'd returned the favor in Pegasus's castle.

_Sometimes I'm down..._

_Sometimes I'm up..._

_But he follows round..._

_Like some droopy-eyed pup..._

And she was truly touched by the display Joey was willing to put on to try and protect her against Marik. Even if he knew it was a crazy, stupid thing to do, and he didn't stand a chance- it was the thought that counted, after all. And, if Serenity had told her correctly, Joey had gotten himself stuck in the Shadow Realm trying to defeat Marik to get her back.

And it had been quite a laugh to see the look on his face when she really did wake up.

_He loves me so..._

_That funny honey of mine..._

Why she FELL for him, though... She didn't get it. Joey was a stringy, gangly, teenager- younger than she was by almost 9 years- his hair was always an unsightly mess, and his wardrobe needed serious help. It certainly wasn't for his looks. And Mai had already made up her mind that he was a dope.

Okay, Joey's big brown eyes were sorta nice. And his faces were priceless, she'd give him that. And Joey did have that funny Brooklyn accent that was kinda cute.

_He ain't no sheik..._

_That's no great physique..._

_And Lord knows he ain't got the smarts..._

This was stupid- she didn't DO the whole lovesick teenager moping over her boyfriend act. Mai Valentine didn't do that. The whole pride issue coming back into play. Really, would JOEY think about her like this while watching HER sleep?

"Mai-i-i..." Joey mumbled in his sleep, snuggling his pillow with a smile.

Yes. He WOULD, wouldn't he?

_But look at that soul..._

_I tell ya that whole_

_Is a whole lot greater than the sum of it's parts..._

Mai sighed. Kaiba was right- he was a mutt. But what was wrong with that? Mai liked puppies... they were cute, right? And so lovable, and as much as they depended on people to take care of them, they also helped the people they lived and loved.

Joey had those same big eyes that begged for someone to take him home and love him (and, hopefully, feed him, too) and in return, he'd always follow after them, and while simultaneously begging for scraps, he bit anyone who looked cross-eyed at them and love them no matter what kind of person they were.

_And if you knew him like me..._

_I know you'd agree..._

Now that Mai thought about it, it was really kind of flattering the way Joey treated her likes she was a queen. That's what she'd always wanted, but it was the thought that counted instead of just the treatment. Oh, she LOVED how much she'd changed- she hadn't felt this... wholesome, in years.

_What if the world_

_Slandered my name?_

_Why he'd be right there..._

_Taking the blame..._

"Seriously, Joey, you could offer me an onion ring if that was all you could afford and I'd WILLINGLY say 'I do' at the altar." Mai muttered to the blond who was starting to drool on the pillow he was snuggling.

"You dope."

_He loves me so..._

_And it all suits me fine..._

_That sunny,_

_Funny,_

_Honey,_

_Hubby of mine..._

A/N: The song is 'Funny Honey' from the Chicago soundtrack. It seemed to suit Joey.


End file.
